Wednesday

Most couples learn to resolve their differences or even end their
relationships without resorting to domestic assault or family violence. Sometimes, however, even
good people gets so stressed out and feel so overwhelmed that they lose
it even for a moment and strike out at their partner or another family member in a physical way.

The Consequences for Assault Family Violence

Depending on the circumstances, the prosecutors can
charge Assault Family Violence either as:

a misdemeanor, or

a felony.

A Class A Misdemeanor Assault means that a person caused bodily injury
(or pain) to their
partner. If the person used a deadly weapon in the domestic assault,
then it is a Felony Aggravated Assault. If the person choked their
partner or restricted their
breathing, then it is also a Felony. No matter the level of the
criminal
offense charged, you can expect the court to order you out of your home
and have no contact until the case is resolved with your partner,
spouse or family member. Punishment for those who are found guilty of
misdemeanor assault family violence may also include:

Community Supervision (Probation)

A fine of up to $4,000.00

Jail confinement of up to one year

Community service

Anger management counseling

The Harris County District Attorney’s Office has a Family Criminal Law
Division that focuses solely on domestic violence. The prosecutors
immediately call the alleged victim to get their statement as to what
happened. The prosecutors lock in the emotional stress
of the event by obtaining their immediate statement. However, facts
tend to change and the importance of the incidence significantly lessens
frequently after a short cooling off time.

Arrested for Assault Family Violence? Call James Sullivan & Associates at (281) 546-6428.

Defending a Houston Assault Family Violence Charge

Assault against a family member is very serious and can have far
reaching consequences. The accused may be permanently barred from
working in certain industries. The accused may be denied housing in
apartment complexes. If you are charged with assault family violence,
you should seek legal advice from a experienced criminal defense lawyers.

The defense lawyers of James Sullivan & Associates fight to get
their client's assault family violence charges dismissed or won at
trial. Other domestic assault lawyers may choose to arrange a plea
bargain for their clients; however, this may not be in the client's best
interest. While it is true that a defendant who successfully completes
a deferred adjudication probation will not have a conviction on their
record, it is also true that if that person ever gets arrested again for
assault family violence then he or she will be charged with a third
degree felony and if found guilty could be sentenced to between 2 to 10
years in prison.

Negotiating a plea deal with prosecutors should be the last resort. A
good domestic assault lawyer will first investigate the case, interview
witnesses, analyze physical evidence and review witness statements in
the offense report for inconsistencies. Such a defense attorney will
also consider possible motives for making false allegations, such as
jealousy, revenge or child custody issues.

The best way to resolve the case is by first talking with an Assault Family Violence Lawyer. Houston Criminal Lawyer James Sullivan
will consider the merits of your case and give you an honest
evaluation. He will aggressively defend you. His legal fees are
affordable, reasonable and fair.

In August 2014, I hired Mr. James Sullivan for my domestic violence criminal case in Liberty county. I was wrongfully accused of assault, although the alleged victim didn't press charges. There was an argument one night, and my girlfriend and I ended up getting physical, but not to the point of hurting each other and having assault charges filed against me. The police were called by the neighbors, and when they arrived, they saw the broken glass, objects that had been thrown, and immediately assumed the worst. The police took pictures of the scene and of my girlfriend, and the case was picked up by the State. I do have a past criminal history, and I believe that had more to do with their decision to charge me rather than any actual evidence. There was nothing my girlfriend and I could do to close our case or drop the charges, so it was to be taken to court.

I did my research on the best defense lawyers in Houston, and one of the names and ratings that caught my attention were those of Mr. Sullivan. I made the call and explained my situation. Being from a small town outside Houston, I was hesitant if he was going to agree to travel an hour and a half for my case. Mr. Sullivan explained that he did not regularly travel that far, but he agreed and assured me that he could help me with my legal problem. Getting an appointment with him was quick and easy. He was very confident about my case which, in turn, made me confident in having him represent me.

He made the long trip for my initial court setting, was very efficient and even prepared to set the case for a jury trial. After worrying about having an assault charge on my record, and having it interfere with job opportunities, he successfully got the State to back down and agree to a deal to get my charges dismissed--a brief pre-trial diversion. All I had to do was take anger management classes and not pick up any new offenses for 6 months. I did not even have to report to probation. Mr. Sullivan did an excellent job in defending me, and I will definitely recommend him to anyone needing a criminal defense lawyer. ~Francisco (Avvo review)